陛下
heika[he̞ːka̠]
The English phrase "majesty" is translated into Japanese as 陛下 (heika).
陛下 is a formal term for "majesty" used to address imperial majesties and sovereigns.
Meaning: term of address for royalty and imperiality (pron)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 陛下 is composed of 陛 (steps of a palace) and 下 (below), literally meaning 'below the steps of the palace stairs'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
heika
Did you know?
- While 陛下 means 'below the palace steps', it functions as a respectful way to avoid looking directly at the sovereign. By addressing the space 'below the steps', you are being humble by not looking at the person's face.
- If you were addressing a prince or a lower member of the imperial family, you would not use 陛下. Instead, you would use the term 殿下, which refers to 'below the palace hall'.
- In modern Japanese, 陛下 is never used by the Emperor to refer to himself. He uses the humble pronoun 私 'watashi' or other modest terms to avoid the arrogance of calling himself 'majesty'.
Examples in context
- 天皇陛下His Imperial Majesty the EmperorThis sentence shows how to use 陛下 when referring to the Emperor.
- 皇后陛下Her Imperial Majesty the Empress (Consort)This sentence shows how to use 陛下 when referring to the Empress Consort.
- 女王陛下Her Royal Majesty the Queen (Regnant)This sentence shows how to use 陛下 when referring to a Queen.
- 陛下、この度の大地震に対する御言葉に感銘を受けました。Your Majesty, I was deeply moved by your words regarding the recent earthquake.
Example conversation
A student and a teacher are watching a news report about a royal visit.
- 大翔 Hiroto陛下、お元気でしょうか。Heika, o genki deshou ka.I wonder if His Majesty is well.
- 陽葵 Himariきっとお元気だと思います。Kitto o genki da to omoimasu.I am sure he is doing well.
- 大翔 Hiroto陛下のご活躍を祈っています。Heika no go-katsuyaku o inotte imasu.I am praying for His Majesty's success.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔くん、とても丁寧な言葉遣いですね。Hiroto-kun, totemo teinei na kotobazukai desu ne.Hiroto, you use very polite language.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “majesty” translations and entries 陛下, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
